Curated OER
Going in Cycles: The Life of an Aluminum Can
Students explore the life cycle of aluminum cans. In this recycling lesson, students review the manufacturing process and how to make a closed loop cycle. Students also have the opportunity to present what they've learned to others...
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Rotten Truth
Students complete activities to study decomposition. In this decomposition lesson, students work in pairs to observe a decay buffet experiment. Students keep compost bag journals. Students define and discuss the process of decomposition.
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"Heat Transfer and Ice Cream!"
Students analyze earth science by creating a frozen treat in class. In this heat transfer instructional activity, students discuss how matter is transformed from solid to liquid and liquid to gas when energy is removed from the equation....
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Erosion
Students examine soil erosion and what causes it. In this soil activity students complete several experiments on soil erosion and the weathering process.
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Inroads On Erosion
Students investigate the concept of farming as found in Puerto Rico an focus on how to prevent erosion. They use a sand table to conduct an experiment to observe the process of erosion and how it is influences by natural factors like...
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Kente Cloth
Students attempt to research the history of using the kente cloth for its cultural purposes. They comment in discussion about the highly visual appeal of the cloths while going through the process of creating their own. The importance of...
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Mystery of the Alaskan Seamounts
High schoolers study seamounts and the processes that form them. In this Gulf of Alaska activity students interpret data and investigate a hypothesis.
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Going in Cycles: The Life of an Aluminum Can
Learners investigate the manufacture of aluminum cans and consider the energy and resources saved when the cans are made from recycled material. They explore the concept of closed-loop recycling using charts, worksheets and discussion.
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The Rain Maker
Second graders work in small groups with a cup each of several materials. Students layer the gravel, sand, and water into a resealable bag. They draw a picture of this bag in their water journal. Students place their sealed bags in a...
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Energy Conservation
Third graders discuss four points related to conservation. They work in groups to design a package to keep an ice cube from melting to demonstrate the concept of insulation. They then make a chart that shows which materials used did the...
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Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination
Young scholars identify the plant parts and bee structures that are involved in pollination. They simulate pollination in a group activity and process the information.
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Throwing It All Away?
Students read a New York Times article as part of their investigation as to what happens when an item is thrown away or recycled. They analyze the relationship between a product's ingredients and its effect on the Earth and healthful...
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Teaching About the Properties of Water
High schoolers use video, Internet research, graphs and tables, worksheets and hands-on experiments to investigate the properties of water in a lake environment. They work under direction or through an inquiry process.
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Cracked Marbles
Fourth graders determine how weathering, specifically ice, snow, and freezing water change the Earth's surface and rocks. After completing the investigations, they explain how heating and cooling expand and contract marbles until cracks...
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How Does Water Cause Weathering?
Fourth graders explore the weathering process of water on rocks. They observe how water and friction from other rocks cause them to weather. Students discuss examine and discuss various rocks found on the playground, beach, etc. They...
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Create a Cloud in a Jar (Hands-on Version)
Students examine the conditions necessary for cloud formation. In this clouds lesson students complete an activity that shows them atmospheric pressure.
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Exothermic Rehydration of Gypsum
Students observe exothermic reactions in the lab using plaster. In this chemistry lesson, students collect data from their experimental set up every five minutes. They explain the different stages in the hardening of plaster.
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Describe and Interpret Images: Folded Strata
Learners describe and interpret images. They make a simple sketch of an outcrop shown in a slide (or computer projection) then discuss possible interpretations.
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"Tri-County" Project--Water Cycle
Students analyze the parts of the water cycle through research and experimentation. Particular attention is paid to the processes of evaporation and condensation.
We are Teachers
NGSS Explained
Here is a very attractive and well-designed infographic explaining the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
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Linking Kwanzaa to Technology and History
Seventh graders use the Internet to research the holiday of Kwanzaa. Using the information, they create a brochure to promote the holiday to others. They email the information to a friend to end the instructional activity.
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Animal Characteristics
Learners create a graphic organizer to study animal characteristics. In this animal characteristics lesson plan, students use a program in Microsoft Word to create a brainstorm about different animal characteristics.
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Glaciers
Seventh graders summarize how Earth processes today are similar to those that occurred in the past, and explain how slow geologic processes have large cumulative effects over long periods of time.
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Investigating the Compost
High schoolers are introduced to the concept of biodegradability. In groups, they use the internet to research the types of materials that affect the process. They collect materials from their local community and develop an experiment...